02/08/2005

Stagecoach, one of the UK's biggest transport operators, is set to recruit 100 experienced bus drivers from Poland this year for its services in the UK.

The recruitment drive, which is supported by the trade unions, is part of Stagecoach's commitment to delivering a consistent, reliable level of service and complements its other UK recruitment campaigns.

Stagecoach has been working in partnership with Warsaw-based Polish Transport Holdings to identify and train the new employees following the expansion of the European Union.

The first group of around 20 Polish drivers will start work with Stagecoach in Cheltenham and Manchester this week and the company expects to recruit a total of 100 drivers by the end of the year.

Bob Montgomery, Stagecoach UK Bus Service Performance Director, said: "Bus drivers have one of the most important jobs in the local community. Thousands of people rely on them every day and we invest a lot of time and resources to get the right people on board.

"We have a major ongoing campaign in the UK to attract people to a career in bus driving with attractive pay and conditions packages. Those measures are proving successful and will be enhanced by an additional stream of skilled, experienced employees from Eastern Europe.

"The excellent links we have put in place in Poland will help ensure we have a full team of professional drivers behind the wheel at our growing bus operations here in the UK."

Stagecoach has put in place a comprehensive selection and training programme to ensure the best drivers are recruited. All drivers are interviewed, have a series of medical and background checks, and undertake a detailed driving assessment.

The successful candidates then take a 12-week English language course to ensure they have the right communication skills to meet the needs of passengers.

On arrival in the UK, the drivers are provided with a further two weeks' offroad training, including route familiarisation, before they get behind the wheel for real. Stagecoach has also put in place arrangements to allow the drivers to get top-up English language lessons at UK colleges as part of their ongoing training and development.

Experienced Polish driver Tymoteusz Skroban-Korzeniecki, who has been working with Stagecoach in Cheltenham for three months, will be acting as a mentor for the new drivers as they get used to life in the UK.

ENDS

For further information, please contact:
Steve Stewart, Head of Media and Public Affairs, Stagecoach Group,
tel: 01738 642040 or mobile 07764 774680.

NOTES TO EDITORS

• Stagecoach employs around 18,000 people and operates more than 7,000 buses in the UK with major city operations in London, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.



• Stagecoach has already recruited drivers from Malta as part of a partnership initiative with Aberdeen City Council.



• Drivers recruited from overseas receive the same pay and conditions as their UK counterparts.



• Polish Transport Holdings was founded in 1997 and provides a range of transport consultancy services. Director Chris Watts - a former managing director with a major bus operator in the UK - has more than 30 years’ experience in the public transport sector, and has worked in Poland since 1994.